Bulk paper plate wrapping machine



Oct. 27, 1953 J. BUECHEK 5 BULK PAPER PLATE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1950 '7 Sheets-Sheet l JNVEN TOR. -J0///Y 31/56/7276 Oct. 27, 1953 J. BUECHEK 2,656,659

BULK PAPER PLATE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. Jaw fluff/75K.

Oct. 27, 1953 J. BUECHEK 2,656,659

BULK PAPER PLATE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 m 4/ v, \VIIIIIIIIIIIl/IJ K 0g IIIII' INVEN TOR. Jmw ,BUECWEK,

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Oct. 27, 1953 J. BUECHEK BULK PAPER PLATE WRAPPING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 26, 1950 INVENTOR. Jo/r/v Bx/50mm Oct. 27, 1953 .1. BUECHEK 2,656,659

BULK PAPER PLATE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 27, 1953 J, BUECHEK BULK PAPER PLATE WRAPPING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 26, 1950 INVENTOR.

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Oct. 27, 1953 J. BUECHEK 2,556,659

BULK PAPER PLATE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Oct. 27, 1953 BULK PAPER PLATE WRAPPING. MACHINE John Buechek, Indianapolis, Ind, assignor to Paper Art Company, Inc Indianapolis, 11111., a

corporation Application December 26, 1950, Serial N0, 2 23 .90

7 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvement in packaging machines and has for one of its objects that of wrapping an article .or an assemblage of articles, folding the wrapping about the article and sealing the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fully automatic machine which will receive the article to be wrapped or packaged, position the same in a wrapping position, receive from a roll of wrapping material and form a wrappingsheet from said roll and. deliver the same in a position toreceive the articles to be wrapped.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging machine which will automatically fold up round theedges of the article to bepackaged, the material of the wrapper, form the same into pleats and then fold the so formed pleats down upon the surface of the article to he packaged.

My invention is especially adapted for the packaging of relatively flat articles such, for instance, as paper plates or the like, and is particularly adapted to receive and package a stack of such plates automatically.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and .the

following description and claims:

For the purpose of disclosing the invention I have illustrated an embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the folder.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the same, the above figures showing the folder in open position.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing .the folder in closed position.

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the folder in closed position.

Fig. 7 is a plan view .ofthe feeding and shaping means for the wrapping sheet.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation showing in detail certain structural features of the shaping means for the sheet.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the sheet paper feeding and shaping apparatus.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the article wrapped and the wrapper pleated ready fordown fold.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the completely packaged article.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated .I provide a. vertically reciprocable table I 0 which in its vertical raising movement is adapted to pass through a center opening I I ina top folder 1,2 which folder consists of a plurality f radially disp d fingers L3 d sp sed around the per phery of the opening and pivoted as at M in the folder and movable from a retracted position shown in Fig. 4 wherein the opening is sufficiently large to permit the passage therethrough of the table I .0 to .a projected position shown in Figs. hand 6 wherein the folder fingers are moved in the position to press upon the top or the heretofore pleated wrapping material- Each f these fingers is provided with a top weight 16 which is so disposed as to maintain the fingers l3 in their retracted p sition when moved to that position and maintain the fi gers in their projected o p essine position when moved in that position- As the table ascends it passes through a center opening I! in the pleating plate l8 which is provided with a plurality .of radial slots or grooves l9. This plea-ting plate is stationarily mounted beneath a sheet support 20 which is formed in two sections 2| and 22, each section consisting of a plurality of transversely extending supportin ribs or rods .23. The sections are so arranged that when they are moved together the perform a supporting platform for the wrapping sheet but through suitable mechanism, hereinafter described, at the proper time interval are separated to permit the passage therebetween of the table 10 so that the wrapping sheet will be deposited thereon.

Above the sheet supporting frame is a transversely reciprocally mounted article support .24 having a central opening .25 provided with inwardly extendin peripherally disposed fingers .26 which are more orless spring-like and on which the article or articles to be packa ed are deposited While the holder is in its retracted position. When the holder is in its projected position the opening is immediately above the openingin the pleater [8.

Above the pleater is recip ocab'ly mounted a folder head 21 which is provided with a plurality of radially disposed lip .28 comparatively narr w in cross section and having upwardly and outwardly inclined faces .28. These fins, there is one .for each of the radial slots I9 in the pleater I8, are adapted to, as the head 27 descends, engage the material overlaying the slots Iii-to assist in folding the pleat.

'In addition to the reciprocal head '21 there is provided a reciprocal clamping head 29 which passes through the center of the head 21 and serves toclamp the plate slack and sh etupon the top of the table Ill when the tableis raised to the uttermost limits of its vertical movement.

The material forming the wrapping sheet is preferably formed of a thermoplastic material taking the form of such commercial material as what is commercially known as cellophane and is delivered to the wrapping apparatus from a roll 30 suitably supported upon a roller 3| disposed at one side of the machine and in such a position that as the material is removed from the roll it will be deposited in the machine or the supporting racks 2| and 22.

The material is drawn from the roll by suitable feeding and shaping apparatus which consists essentially of an upper platen 32 cooperating with a bottom platen 33. The upper platen on its under face on the intake side is provided with an arcuate knife 34 having the top of the are extending in the direction of travel of the material. Accordingly, as the material is fed from the roll 30 across the bottom platen when the knife 34 descends into cutting position the material will be severed from the roll and at the same time be given an arcuate end.

The other cutting knife 35 mounted on the upper platen has its arc in just the reverse direction so that the rear portion of the severed sheet will likewise be cut eventuating in a substantially circular sheet of wrapping material.

'After the severed sheet is completely shaped it is picked up by a series of bottom travelling belts 36 and a series of top rollers 31 and by these travelling belts deposited on the sheet support 2!].

Bearing in mind that the parts operate in a timed sequence by apparatus to be more fully hereinafter described, after the wrapping sheet has been shaped or formed it is deposited by the travelling belts onto the sheet support 2e and immediately thereafter the article support 24 having had for the purpose of illustration, a stack of paper plates deposited thereon will move into a position immediately above the opening in the folder I8.

By the time the article holder has moved to depositing position the vertically movable table III will have been moved up through the opening in the platen l8 to position immediately beneath the wrapping sheet support. At this mo- I ment the two halves of the wrapping sheet supof the supporting fingers 25 and onto the top of the table Ill.

The diameter of the table is about the same diameter as the head 21 and, accordingly, the fin 23 will project therebetween. The clamping head clamps the articles to be raised and the wrapping sheet upon the top of the table Ill. The table l6 now commences its downward movement carrying with it the wrapping sheet and the article with the wrapped sheet clamped in the head through a clamping member 29 and also through the fin head 21.

As the parts continue to descend with the fins descending in unison with the table, that portion of the wrapping sheet which extends beyond the article to be packaged the diameter of the Wrapping material being considerably greater than the diameter of the article to be wrapped will be folded upwardly around the edges of the article and at the same time due to the action of the fins 28 moving in the slots I9 will have its edges formed into pleats which extend vertically upwardly around the edge of the article.

As the table continues to descend the article and the pleated 'wrapping material passes through the opening II in the folder l2 and, bearing in mind that the parts are operating in timed relation, the folder fingers i3 will be moved from their retracted position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 to their projected position, the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The fingers l3 rocking on their pivots will fold the pleated material down upon the surface of the article to be packaged. These fingers are heated through suitable electrical connections and while folding and pressing the material down upon the top of the article to be packaged, will apply sufficient heat to render the thermoplastic material soft enough to cause the heated pleat to adhere.

It should be mentioned that during the lowering movement of the table It) and just before the pleats are completely withdrawn from the pleater slots [9 the table i0 is given a half-turn on its axis to fold the pleats over one upon the other.

structurally the apparatus is mounted in a suitable frame comprising the side members 38, the end members 39 and leg members 40 with cros braces such as 41 and 42 provided wherever necessitated.

The table It is mounted on a vertically movable plunger 43 operating in a guide sleeve 44 supported on a cross member as 4|. This plunger 43 is provided with a collar 45 and is adapted to receive and have pivoted thereto the bifurcated end 48 of a bell crank lever 41 pivoted as at 48 to one of the cross members 4!. The 0pposite end of this bell crank lever is provided with a roller 49 adapted to ride the periphery of an operating cam 50 mounted on the main cam shaft 5| extending the length of the machine and suitably journaled on cross members as 41. This main cam shaft may be driven from any suitable power device as an electric motor or the like.

The rotary oscillating movement is imparted to the table H3 through the medium of a collar 5| secured or keyed to the plunger 43 and having a crank connection with the lever 52 in turn pivotally connected at the end of a lever 53 pivoted on one of the cross members 42. This lever 53 carries a roller (not shown) in turn engaged by an operating cam 53. An operating lever 54 pivoted at 55 to one of the cros members has a roller 57 which is adapted to be engaged by an'operating cam 58 on the cam shaft. Through lever 54 arrangement of the folders 35 are moved into a folding or projected position.

To this end the folders l3 are mounted on arms 59 secured on the folder plate I? which plate is stationarily mounted on the frame as on longitudinally supporting bars til. Disposed above this plate i2 is the operating plate 6| vertically movable on pins 62 rising from the plate l2 and biased towards the plate by suitable coiled springs '53. In normal position with the folder fingers [3 in their retracted position the plate l2 and the plate 6i occupy the position illustrated in Fig. 4. However, in a suitable timed relation through the medium of operating fingers 54 the operating plate 5| is vertically raised against the bias of the springs 63 and in this movement engages the rear face of the weights I6 tilting or rocking the folders l3 to the position illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The fingers 64 are simultaneously operated through the medium of links 65 connected to arms 66 in turn connected to the opposite ends of a rocking arm 67 which rocking arm is connected by a rod 58 with the top end of the rocking lever or arm 54 engaged by an operating cam 58.

As has been heretofore pointed out the wrap ping sheet support comprises a plurality of sets of cross wires 23. One set ofwires 23 are mounted in a horizontally reciprocable side member 22 and rest at their opposite ends on a suitable guide rail 10. This member 22 has a reciprocating movement imparted thereto through the'medium of a rod II. This rod II is connected to one end of a rocking arm l2 pivoted at E3 and connected by an operating rod 74 to one end of an arm pivoted as at 55 and oscillated by the cam 16. The opposite wires 23 are mountedat one end in a reciprocating slide 2!, the opposite ends thereof being adapted to ride on the rail It and this slide has a reciprocating movement imparted thereto by being connected. by a rod I8 with the opposite end of the rocker arm 12.

The article receiving and depositing plate 24 is mounted on a head l9 adapted to ride upon the parallel rails 86 secured between end members 39 and this head is reciprocated through the medium of a reciprocating rod 8| in turn connected to the end of one arm 32 of a bell crank lever pivoted on the pivot member 83, the other arm as carrying a roller adapted to be operated by the cam 85 mounted on the cam shaft 5I The above cams are so shaped and operated that the operation of the various parts controlled thereby is in the proper sequence and timing relation to carry out the progressiv steps heretofore described.

The fin hub 21 is arranged at the lower end of a sleeve 86 slidably mounted in a bearing 81 carried by an arm 88 supported upon an upright 89 suitably supported on one of the frame membars. This sleeve 86 has operating therein the plunger 29 which at its lower end supports the clamping head.

These two members are respectively operated by rocking levers BI and 92 pivotally mounted as at 93 and 94 on the upright 89. The rear end of these levers 9| and 92 are respectively connected by rods 95 and 95 to rocking arms 9'! and 98 in turn operated by the cams 85 and 85'.

The paper, as heretofore described, is supplied from a roll 30 guided on a roller 3|. This roller is supported in the arms of a supporting bracket 99 suitably supported between the side members of the frame and to one side of the packaging mechanism. The paper is fed from the roll 3I, step by step through the medium of upper feeder rolls I it!) and lower feeder rolls I01.

The upper feeder rolls I 00 are intermittently rotated through the medium of a gear drive mechanism upon the shaft I02 which in turn is driven intermittently through a rack and gear mechanism I 03. The gear of this structure is preferably connected to the shaft I02 by a oneway clutch which will engage as the rack is moved in one direction to rotate the feeder rolls in a direction to feed the paper or Wrapping material and disengage as the rack is reciprocated in the opposite direction.

The upper platen 32 is alternately raised and lowered through the medium of a rock sleeve I 94 mounted on a shaft I05. This sleeve is provided with a lever arm I85 connected between the vertical studs It on the top of the platen. The opposite end of the sleeve is provided with a rocking lever I08 which in turn is connected to an operating rod I99 driven from a suitable cam III) mounted upon a shaft in turn driven by any suitable means.

The paper is held taut across the lower platen 33 through the medium of a pair of suction cups III connected'by a suitable air pipe III within suitable vacuum source. 'These suction cups are raised and lowered by operating arms I I2 fixed on an oscillating shaft I13 in turn having an operating arm I I4 in turn connected to a rod 4 I5, the lower end of which is operated by a .cam .I I6 rotating with the cam I I II. During the feeding operation at the pausetinterval the cups arein their lowermost positionwith the suction turned on, thereby fixedly connecting the .sheet with the cups and through the weight of the cups the sheet is maintained taut.

As soon as the cut is completed the vacuum is cut off from the vacuum sourcetherebyreleasing the severed scrap side pieces which will permit the pieces to drop below the machine and at this moment the cups are elevated to a position to permit the new section of the'material to be fed therebeneath.

The conveyor belts 3 3 are driven from a series of pulleys on a driving shaft I! I which in turn is driven through a peripheral gear connection I I8 through any suitable source, said source being connected with the driving shaft H9 by chain drive I20.

Th folder fingers I3 as before stated, are heated and to provide thisheatthe folder fingers are provided with resistant elements (not shown) embedded therein and adapted to be connected by suitable wires with a source of electrical supply.

The invention claimed is:

A machine for packaging substantially flat topped articles comprising in combination a pleaterhavingan opening therethrough and having a plurality of radial slots extending outwardly therefrom, a verticallylmovable table movable through said pleater to a receiving position above said pleater, means for depositing a wrapping sheet of greater dimension thanthe article to be packaged from said table in a position above said pleater, and a radially 'i'inned head having its fins coinciding with said radial slots and :engaging the article to be packaged and movable downwardly with said table as it descends through the opening in said lpleater.

2. The combination with a pleater having an opening therethrough and a plurality of radial slots extending beyond said opening, a vertically movable table movable through said pleater to a receiving position above said pleater, meansfor depositing a wrapping sheet of greater .dimension than the article to be packaged upon said table while in a position above said pleater, a radially finned head having its fins coinciding with the radial slots in said pleater and engaging the article to be packaged and movable downwardly with said table as it descends through the opening in said pleater, and means for rotating said head while the pleats are still in the pleater slots.

3. The combination with means for pleating the exposed edges of a wrapping sheet about the edges of an article to be packaged, including a vertically movable article receiving table, of means .for folding the pleated edges down upon the top of the article comprising a support having an opening therein to accommodate the passage of the table and article therethrough, a plurality of folding members pivotally mounted at the pe-- riphery of said opening to swing from a retracted position in which position the article is permited to pass therethrough to a projected position to engage the pleated edge of the wrapping and fold and press the same upon the top of the artide, and means for heating said members to iron the folds in their pressed formation and efiect a sealing thereof.

4. The combination with means for pleating the exposed edges of a Wrapping sheet about the edges of an article to be packaged including a vertically movable article receiving table, of means for folding the pleated edge of the wrapper down upon the top of the article to be packaged comprising a supporting plate having a central opening therein, a plurality of radially disposed folding fingers pivotally' mounted about the periphery of said opening to swing from a retracted position in which position the passage of the table and article is permitted therethrough and into a projected position to fold and press the pleating material upon the top of the article, said folding fingers being swung to one position by the table, and means for swinging the folding fingers to the other position.

5. The combination with means for pleating the exposed edges of a wrapping sheet about the edges of an article to be packaged including a vertically movable article receiving table, mean: for folding the pleated edges down upon the top of the article comprising a supporting plate having a central opening therein, a plurality of radially disposed folding fingers pivotally mounted about the periphery of said plate and movable from a retracted position in which position the article and table are movable through said opening to a projected position to fold and press the pleated material upon the top of the article, and weighted portions on said fingers extending vertically from the backs and positioned forward of the pivotal point for maintaining the fingers in either their projected or retracted position.

6. The combination with a vertically reciprocable table, a pleater disposed in the path of movement of said table having an opening to permit the passage of the table therethrough and having a plurality of radial slots diverging from the periphery of said opening, a transversely separable sheet receiving support for sheet material disposed above said pleater, an article carrier transversely reciprocable having an opening therein adapted to coincide with the opening in said pleater and having peripheral supporting fingers for the article and disposed above said sheet receiving support, a vertically movable head disposed above said article carrier having radial fins coinciding with the radial slots in said pleater, means for moving said head downwardly into engagement with said article to disengage the same from its holding fingers and move the same into engagement with the sheet material sup ported by said sheet support and as the support is separated to move and hold the sheet material and article upon the table while the same is in its elevated position and finally force said fins through said radial slots of said pleater with the downward movement of the table to complete the pleating.

7. The combination with a vertically recipro cable table, a pleater disposed in the path of movement of said table having an opening to permit the passage of the table therethrough and having a plurality of radial slots diverging from the periphery of said opening, a transversely separable sheet receiving support for sheet material disposed above said pleater, an article carrier transversely reciprocable having an opening therein adapted to coincide with the opening in said pleater and having peripheral supporting fingers for the article and disposed above said sheet receiving support, a vertically movable head disposed above said article holder having radial fins coinciding with the radial slots in said pleater, means for moving said head downwardly into engagement with said article to disengage the same from its holding fingers and move the same into engagement with the sheet material supported by said sheet support and as the support is separated to move and hold the sheet material and article upon the table while the same is in its elevated position and finally force said fins through said radial slots of said pleater with the downward movement of the table to complete the pleating, and means for folding the pleated edges of a fin upon the top of the article.

JOHN BUECHEK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,354,371 Angier Sept. 28, 1920 2,060,986 Gaubert Nov. 17, 1936 2,068,144 McAleer Jan. 19, 1937 2,232,558 Petskeyes Feb. 18, 1941 2,422,408 Greenbaum June 17, 1947 2,434,616 Hoppe Jan. 13, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 279,170 Great Britain Oct. 24, 1927 526,452 Germany June 9, 1931 555,677 Germany July 30, 1932 

